God Calls Samuel31The boy Samuel served the Lord under Eli. In those days the Lord did not speak directly to people very often; there were very few visions.2Eli’s eyes were so weak he was almost blind. One night he was lying in bed. 3Samuel was also in bed in the Lord’s house, where the Ark of the Agreement was. God’s lamp was still burning.4Then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel answered, “I am here!” 5He ran to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.6The Lord called again, “Samuel!”Samuel again went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”Again Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.”7Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the Lord had not spoken directly to him yet.8The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”Then Eli realized the Lord was calling the boy. 9So he told Samuel, “Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in bed.10The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”Samuel said, “Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.”11The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock those who hear about it. 12At that time I will do to Eli and his family everything I promised, from beginning to end. 13I told Eli I would punish his family always, because he knew his sons were evil. They acted without honor, but he did not stop them. 14So I swore to Eli’s family, ‘Your guilt will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’ ”15Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision, 16but Eli called to him, “Samuel, my son!”Samuel answered, “I am here.”17Eli asked, “What did the Lord say to you? Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you terribly if you hide from me anything he said to you.” 18So Samuel told Eli everything and did not hide anything from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord. Let him do what he thinks is best.”19The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up; he did not let any of Samuel’s messages fail to come true. 20Then all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,[C]Dan was the city farthest north in Israel, and Beersheba was the city farthest south. So this means all the people of Israel. knew Samuel was a true prophet of the Lord.21And the Lord continued to show himself at Shiloh, and he showed himself to Samuel through his word.